Circular-knitting machine



June '10 T924} 15491456 J. WALTHER CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed NOV.17. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 10, 1924.

J. WALTHER CIRCULAR KNITTING MAORI Filed Nov. 17. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2la -I [72 212% Zak ribbed fabric.

Patented June id, 1924.

a r i PATENT orric' CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

Application filed November 17, 1923. Serial no. 875,361.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JonaNNns lVALrimn. a citizen of the German Republic,residing at (illlell'lflltZ. Germany. have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Circular-lnitting Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to circular knitting n achines and consists inthe provision of an auxiliary needle cylinder arranged above theordinary cylinder so that it can be moved axially into and out ofposition for cooperating with the latter in producing ribbed fabric. Thechange-over from plain to ribbed fabric may be effected automatically,for instancein an automatic sock knitting machine, for which purpose atransfer ring is fitted inside the principal cylinder so that it can beadjusted aXially'there-in, the ring being provided with a plurality ofprongs adapted to enter the loops behind the needles and hold them whilethe needles of one cylinder are withdrawn and replaced by those of theother cylinder.

Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a vertical section of thetwo needle cylinders, the auxiliary cylinder being shown in the positionit occupies when not in use, I

Fig. 2 is a partial plan of the principal needle cylinder,

Fig. 3, a view of the needle employed in the auxiliary cylinder, and

Fig. 4, a view showing how these needles enter the loops at thechange-over from plain to ribbed fabric.

Figs. 5 to 16 illustrate by alternate front and side views. the positionof the elements during the different operations.

The ordinary needle cylinder 14- ot' a circular knitting machine issupplemented by a needle cylinder 1 which is arranged above theprincipal cylinder and adapted for axial adjustment so that it can belowered into and raised out of position for cooperating with thiscylinder in the production of Fig. 1 shows the auxiliary cylinder ininoperative position, it being suiiiciently'distanced from the cylinder14 for enabling the work of the latter to be readily supervised. .Vhenthe cylinder 14 is used alone. a plain fabric is produced. When ribbedfabric is to be knitted, the cylinder 1 is lowered through the threadguide ring 9, and the needles ll of this cylinder, which are operated bycams 10 in the usual manof one cylinder to those of the other. ring 5 isguided axially inside the cylinder i l and is operated through themedium of another ring which is connected by means of uprights 3 to lugs2 on the ring 5. The lugs 2 guide the ring 5 in the upper part of thecylinder 14. The ring 5 isformed with upright prongs 6 of U-shaped crosssection which coincide with the needle grooves of The the cylinder andwhich thus embrace the needles at the back and at the two sides. Theprongs are pointed and adapted, when the ring is raised, to enter theloops suspended on the needles. Normally the pron {ZS are held below theupper edge of the needle cylinder, out of the stitch-forming zone. Thenumber of prongs depends on the nature of the ribbing. 'In the case ofone plain and one purl, there is a prong 6 for every other needle, asshown in the drawings. Moreover, the needles 13 which work in the prongsare fitted either with double butts or with a single butt arranged at adifferent altitude from the butts of the adjacent needles 12, as theneedles 13 have to be put out of action and replaced by the needles 11of the cylinder 1 when the change-over to ribbed work is effected. Theneedles 11 are arranged in the cylinder 1 accordingly.

The needles l1 differ from the ordinary needles in that they are formedwith pointed instead of the usual rounded heads, and with a slightlyprojecting latch, as shown in Fig. 3. Owing to this construction of theneedle, the latch will be engaged and opened by the loop 7 as the latterslide-s over the inclined face of the needle head upon the lowering ofthe cylinder. 1 into operative position. Fig. 1- shows this engagementof the loops with the needle head.

During the plain knitting, the cylinder 1. is raised, as previouslydescribed, and the needles 12 and 13 are all in operative position, asshown in Figs. 5 and When the ribbed knitting is to commence. the ring 5is raised, and the prongs 6 then enter the loops hanging on the stems ofthe needles 13, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. After the prongshave enteredthe loops, the needles 13 are withdrawn and lowered into inopera tiveposition, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Thereupon the needle cylinder 1 islowered into operative position, and the needles 11 then enter theprongs 6 and also the loops suspended thereon, the needle latches beingopened, as previously explained, to admit the loops into the hooks. Theposition of the elements is then as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. The ring 5is now restored to the normal position, and the ribbed knitting canproceed with the elements situated as shown in Figs. 18 and 14. A returnto plain knitting is etlected in the same manner, the ring 5 being firstraised, as shown in Figs. 15 and 16, so as to pass the prongs 6,tliroughfthe loops suspended on the needles. 11= .for"holding them whilethese needles. are withdrawn and the needles 13 restored to operativeposition. Then the ring 5 is retracted whereupon the plain knitting canrecommence.

The invention may be applied to any existing circular knitting machine.

I claim:

1. In, a circular knitting machine, the combination with the ordinaryneedle cylinder, of an auxiliary needle cylinder arranged above theformer cylinder. so that it can be moved axially into and out ofposition of cooperation with the same for the production of ribbedfabric, a ring guided axially in the ordinary cylinder, and prongsarranged on said ring and adapted to enter the loops suspended on theneedles when the ring is raised and hold them while needles of onecylinder are replaced by nee dles from the other cylinder. i

2. In a circular knitting machine the 1 combination with the ordinaryneedle cylinder, 01 an auxiliary needle cylinder ar ranged above theformer cylinder so that it can be moved axially into and out of p0:

sition of cooperation with the same 'for the production of ribbedfabric, a ring guided axially in the ordinary cylinder, and prongs ofU-shaped cross-section arranged on said ring so as to coincide with theneedle grooves and embrace the needles at the back

